Title : Syukur 21
Year : 2000
Director : Aliff Najmi Abdullah
Screenplay : Zack Idris
Cast : Raihan, Yassin, Mustapha Kamal, Eisya, Norzizi Zulkifli, Mahyon Ismail, Yang Kassim, Man Bai, Rika Yulianti, etc.

Review by : Eena Houzyama

‘Syukur 21’ for everyone

With all the hype surrounding the movie Syukur 21, which opened on Hari Raya Aidilfitri, it is surprisingly that there hasn’t been much feedback.

There was even a behind-the-scenes documentary on TV1 and TV3, which detailed how good the movie was in the technical department, for instance, the excellent 3D animation and the Sony Digital Surround Sound system.

However, these did not seem to help as there were glitches in the movie.

In short, Syukur 21 may be a good effort in some ways but it lacked "ummpph!".

Synopsis
The setting is the Utopian lifestyle of an Islamic community in the year 2021. Called Raudah, people lived peacefully and held fast to moral values.

Raudah is where the troubled and the misled come for support, guidance and friendship. One day, the people here discover a problem in the weather control system.

They call in Kamal, a specialist from Nasa, to help find a solution. Kamal, who has lived in the United States for 30 years, returns with his son Daniel.

However, some residents become suspicious of the "foreigners".

Daniel learns the Islamic way of life with the help of Aishah, a co-ordinator in Raudah.

They soon fall in love but keep their feelings under check to abide by the Islamic way.

And then there’s Lily, who comes to Raudah hoping to change her "rowdy" lifestyle. However, she gets duped into working against the system.

Here’s what I think of the movie:

Plot
There are too many sub-plots. For instance, the weather control system failure, Lily’s behaviour change, and the love story.

Thus, the impact of the main focus of Syukur 21 was lost. In the end, even the 3D animation could not lift the movie.

Cinematography
Finally, a movie with a "crisp" look and good editing, which helped enhance the peaceful reality of Raudah.

Acting
While the leading role is a big challenge for any beginner, the members of nasyid group Raihan, who play the leaders of Raudah, did not "capture" their roles.

The acting skills of the "bad" characters were, on the other hand, more commendable (especially Lily, played by Norzizi Zulkifli). Her portrayal of a confused yet determined person was excellent.

Others in the movie were Man Bai, Yasin, Eisya, Mustapha Kamal and Umi Kalthom.

Yasin and Eisya should have been better coached. As for Man Bai, who has some acting experience, his performance seemed relaxed. However, one finds it hard to not think of him as Man Bai the singer.

Soundtrack
This was a success. The music complemented each scene aptly. The song I’tiraf, sung by Mega Utami, was a tearjerker. The song is about a person asking God for forgiveness who is in need of His love and guidance. She delivered the lyrics beautifully in her powerful but gentle voice without the help of instruments or vocal back-up.

Syukur 21 is a good effort at depicting a community living harmoniously in the future. According to the producers (Metrowealth Movie Productions), the movie was targeted at families but most of those who watched it were teenagers.

If you are tired of watching "typical" local love stories, then you should give this movie a try. It is recommended for the whole family as it advocates moral values.

As mentioned earlier this movie scores technically, and in that aspect it has raised the standard of Malaysian movies.

Sumber : New Straits Times 6/1/2001